


A Case of the Corporate Love Bug

by jyanchabin



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Cars, Designer stuff that’s probs not accurate lmao, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Slow Burn (ish), Toddlers, babysitter, this is just a silly soft fest tbh i’m cry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-23 19:12:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19707685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jyanchabin/pseuds/jyanchabin
Summary: Hakyeon’s the CEO of the biggest car company in the country, anxiously anticipating a showcase that will define the future of his self-made empire.Hongbin is one of his many employees, offered entirely by chance the opportunity to babysit his two young children during the all-important launch night, with it, acquiring a vivid taster of his superior’s life and discovering the kind of person he is.What could possibly go wrong?





	A Case of the Corporate Love Bug

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt: ‘cha hakyeon, a ceo of one of koreas biggest company and also a single dad, needed to find a babysitter to babysit his kids quickly, so that’s where his friend introduced lee hongbin to him, whos willing to babysit his kids for him’

“Jaehwan-ssi is waiting to see you now, sir.”

Hakyeon observes his reflection from the 34th floor’s window of his 40-storey office building, creaseless black suit intact without a single hair on his head out of place. 

Against the backdrop of a cloudless blue sky, he ponders whether the all-black ensemble was a little too ominous for his meeting this morning. Especially considering that he’s about to liaise with the most colourful character he’d ever gotten to work with in his life.

But his head turns back sharply the moment he hears Taekwoon’s voice announce Jaehwan’s presence, a disruption from his quizzical thoughts.

“Ah, Taekwoon-ssi! Yes, do let him in,” he says softly, smiling. “Though how many times have I told you? You don’t need to call me sir.”

Taekwoon’s eyes, hidden behind a mop of black hair, meet the floor. He tries biting a grin off his own lips, fidgeting with the sleeve of a cream coloured shirt.

“It’s common courtesy at the workplace though, isn’t it?” he offers, voice gentle but playful.

‘“But you’re my best friend, for goodness sake!” Hakyeon laughs heartily, “There really is no need for formalities like this. Not between us, anyway.”

Taekwoon’s reassuring chuckle and a singular nod of the head is enough to conclude their conversation. Just in time for Jaehwan to enter the room with a loud  _ swing  _ of the glass doors, large steps being taken in something akin to platform shoes.  _ Very much Jaehwan’s style _ , Hakyeon notes.

Firmly cradling a bundle of papers in his arms, he practically runs his way over to the company executive in anticipation, facial expression nothing short of luminous, doe eyes twinkling.

“Hakyeon-ssi! Long time no see!”

His booming voice certainly doesn't go unheard by either of them, dirty blonde quiff softly bobbing up and down in contrast to his ample strides.

Jaehwan had visited the CEO’s office today in order to finalise designs for the company’s upcoming showcase as head designer within the marketing department. This would likely be their most ambitious and career-defining campaign to date, with lots of investments riding on the success of its launch.

Across a nearly year-long process of preparation, suffice to say, the 30 year old CEO is  _ incredibly _ anxious about it all.

Sales had somewhat stagnated for CHY Motors over the last year or so, despite it being one of the biggest companies in the country. If not,  _ the _ biggest car manufacturer in the region at least. Hakyeon had been keeping tabs on this.

But to even feel the slightest threat fall upon a business he had so lovingly crafted for nearly a decade like this? It simply wasn’t acceptable in his book.

Hastily guiding the budding designer to the office desk, he takes Jaehwan’s hand into his own, giving him a firm, reassuring hug once his plethora of papers are placed down. It had always been comforting, the embrace of an old friend.

And right now, it seemed to be urgently needed.

Fortunately enough for him though, in all the years that Hakyeon had known him, Jaehwan seemingly carried this indescribably, naturally-soothing aura of sorts; whenever anyone had the pleasure of basking in the glow of his company, it was like the woes of the world simply faded away into nothing. He’d always feel immediately more at ease whenever he’d been around him.

Jaehwan’s enigmatic air is even potent enough to pervade Taekwoon’s spirits on the other side of the room, putting his fidgety fingers to rest. At least for the time being.

Wearing circular spectacles as large as his personality, Jaehwan briefly meets the eyes of Hakyeon’s first-hand man, glistening in such a way that unexpectedly robs Taekwoon of breath for a moment.

Hakyeon observes his associate going to the opened doors with a slight tremble in his step, the little ‘o’ that his tinted lips have now formed not going amiss either.

He fights back the urge to smirk and his best friend’s abashed state.

“So, er Jaehwan-ssi,” Hakyeon begins, “Before we start, would you like anything to drink?”

“Oh! Would love a cappuccino, please!”

“Perfect. And an espresso for me hyung, please,” Hakyeon asks courteously, fingers now interlocked.

“C-certainly, you two!” Taekwoon blurts out, managing a nod before pushing the glass doors open cautiously, disappearing into the corridor.

Hakyeon brings their attention back to the job at hand. 

“So, what did you have planned?”

“Well, I’ve got a whole array of pamphlets and brochures designs based on what you’d requested last time. We’d agreed on something futuristic looking, right?”

Hakyeon nods in reply.

“Well, I ended up taking a  _ lot _ of inspiration from sci-fi films: Tron, Star Trek, that kind of thing. Tried to replicate that slick eye for style they’ve always got, y’know? That glossy, technological aesthetic, and attempted to channel it through these designs for the campaign. I thought it’d be a nice touch.”

Hakyeon observes everything with a critical eye; lower lip drooping down under his thumb, watching attentively as Jaehwan flicks through the pages of his portfolio book, ears alert to every explanation that follows.

A lot of what he sees branding-wise is very distinctively Jaehwan, tackling every aspect of the launch down to the bone: the social media presence, the advertising, some of which he’d gotten others in the team to develop also for some months now.

“Then, there’s the actual showcase.,, From the way the seats and stage are planned out, it looks as if we could implement some quirky lighting to really bring out the product.”

Jaehwan gestures towards a map of the venue’s layout: a pretty standard indoor hall not too far from the premises, complete with two giant projectors on either side of the main stage, elevated a good few feet above the ground. There’d be a few suitable places from the crowd where the camera crew could set up their equipment, ready to record the whole of the showcase for a live broadcast. Jaehwan had also conveniently labelled these onto the building's blueprint with red marker.

“These projectors? We could fill them in with video footage of the car models in action. I’ve gotten Sanghyuk to work on that for a while now, to compile the footage we’d gotten Hongbin-ssi to record some months back into something flashy, y’know? He’s always had an eye for that kind of thing. Plus, our community manager should be able to live tweet about the whole thing in real time too. You know how good he is with trends.”

Internally, Hakyeon is rejoicing to the high heavens for Jaehwan’s crafty organisation skills. But he keeps his face virtually expressionless during the process.

“...I’ll have to consult a lighting specialist on how to incorporate that, but yeah. That’s pretty much it. So uh, what are your thoughts?”

Hakyeon’s poker face lasts only for a moment.

“I’m really, thoroughly impressed with this all, Jyannie... You truly outdid yourself here.”

Jaehwan’s anxious face breaks out into a massive smile, howling out his in delight by triumphantly punching a fist up into the air.

“Christ, you have  _ no _ idea how relieved I am to hear that, hyung, my god!”

Hakyeon breaks out into a delightful laugh at his reaction, one so melodiously sweet that Jaehwan soon accompanies it with his own lighthearted tune. 

A tension which had manifested the room begins to lift, much to Taekwoon’s delight as he returns with a trey of three steaming beverages for them all.

“Ah, what’s so funny?” the drink-bearer asks softly, a faint smile creeping onto his lips as the tittering dies down.

“Ahh, well, Jaehwan-ssi was informing me of just how much work he put into this project,” Hakyeon replies, “Though on a serious note, I genuinely hope that you’ll take time to recover from this. You do burn yourself out far too much for your own good, you know.”

Jaehwan blurts out an awkward giggle at that. “Well thank you, hyung. Yes, I’ll, I’ll try my best with that.”

Having placed down Jaehwan’s cappuccino and Hakyeon’s espresso, Taekwoon cups his beloved latte and takes the opportunity to observe Jaehwan’s portfolio of designs for himself.

“May I?”

Jaehwan grins.

“Why, of course! Be my guest, hyung!”

He takes his time flicking through the pages, taking sips in between, paying close attention to all the intricate, futuristic patterns he’d interwoven into this project. All the research that was clearly poured into this had been executed perfectly, and it leaves nothing but Taekwoon in utter awe.

“...You really have done a fantastic job with this, Jaehwan-ssi...”

Taekwoon’s words trigger something euphoric inside the designer, who observes Takewoon getting just as immersed into the work as he’d done, seeing it for all the hard work it was worth.

“...Why thank you hyung. I’m glad you think so.”

To say that their gazes then meet to spark something indistinguishable inside them both would be the understatement of the century.

“I can really see this coming together perfectly,” Hakyeon intervenes, unknowingly disrupting their intimate moment, still too starstruck by Jaehwan’s craftsmanship to even notice. “I mean, This evening will truly get sales skyrocketing,  _ really _ affirm our place on the map, it-”

Hakyeon’s enthused words come to a standstill, mouth instantly aligning into something wide as reality strikes him. Hard.

“..Oh.. Oh  _ shit! _ ”

“Oh god, what is it?” Taekwoon cries softly, placing a hand upon Hakyeon’s shoulder, panic alert in his eyes.

“My-my kids… Nobody’s going to supervise my k-kids that night... God how could I even forget them? What the  _ hell _ am I gonna do-”

“You forgot about your own  _ children?! _ ” Jaehwan exclaims, hands on his face as if to imitate an iconic painting, voice grating in an unsavory manner against Hakyeon’s ears.

It’s an awful thing for Hakyeon to admit, sure. But with the business preoccupying his mind so much as of late, it had been difficult to focus on all that much else.

He adored his little kids to pieces though; anybody who knew him well enough was certain of this, from the way he gushed about his little girl’s vivid imagination to the way his youngest son’s smile could light up his whole universe. 

Despite everything, they really meant so much to him, and he wanted nothing but the best for their livelihoods.

Even down to finding the right guardian to mind them for that night.

“Oh, for goodness sake,” Taekwoon sighs, shaking his head. “Hakyeon-ssi… You’re a Yonsei graduate, you’ll think of something.”

“Says the man who graduated from the same class, lived with me for four damn years, yet  _ still _ uses formalities with me,” he scoffs back.

“Hey, we’re at the workplace!”

“But we already talked about this! Didn’t I say it was fine to be casual, Taekwoon-ah?”

“But Taekwoon-ssi is right!” Jaehwan chimes in, wagging a shaky, accusatory finger in the CEO’s direction. “One must always uphold respect within the work environment!”

The playfulness isn’t missed by Taekwoon, now chuckling at the designer’s demeanour as Hakyeon sighs, rubbing his face in frustration. Mostly at himself, if anything. “And besides, who’s being the neglectful parent in this scenario, hm?”

Jaehwan’s jest prompts Hakyeon to punch him on the arm, half jokingly, half out of spite. But he does enjoy the subsequent whine of pain that comes out of his colleague at that.

“Listen,” Taekwoon continues “You needn’t worry so much... There will be a way around this problem, I’m sure.” He squeezes onto the CEO’s shoulder out of comfort.

“In faaact,” Jaehwan queues in “I  _ may _ have just the guy for you.”

Hakyeon blinks a few times in disbelief.

“...Wait what? Seriously?”

“Mhm, another member who works in the marketing department, like me! Very attentive, nice guy. Playful too, you’d like him.”

“Well, does he have experience looking after kids?”

“Uh, pretty sure yeah. He told me he’d look after his younger cousins when he was younger all the time.”

_ Oh, well that’s sold me then _ , Hakyeon wants to sarcastically reply. But he feels as if he doesn't have many other options as of right now.

He scratches his head, uncertain. “Well, I guess it’s worth a shot. What’s his name?”

  
  
  
  


☙

  
  


Hongbin has just about had it this morning.

Few words in the dictionary could describe the insufferable cocktail of frustration stirring up in his system right now, typing away furiously at his desk in an attempt to get this report amended.

Honestly, how difficult did some clients have to be, for fuck’s sake?

For the insufferability that this morning has been testing Hongbin with, he wasn’t expecting things to mount that much further.

But who was Lady Luck to give him the luxury of liberty today?

“Psst, hyung!”

Sanghyuk distinct tone brushes passed his ear, hissing in a hushed manner. Although paradoxically, he nudges his shoulder with great vigor when verbal prompting alone fails him.

Hongbin winces, withdrawing said shoulder and cradling it in his hand.

“Ya! Sanghyuk, what’s your problem?”

“It’s Taekwoon-ssi, he’s heading this way.”

“...What?”

Sanghyuk nods, loosley motioning a hand to the other side of the room. Indeed, Taekwoon’s figure can be seen approaching their corner of the office, white cotton shirt tightly conforming to his figure, but collar remaining loose.

“Ah, shit.”

This is probably the _ least  _ convenient time in all of his three years working as a marketer here to be receiving that unsuspecting visit from his superiors.

But he guessed he’d just have to bite the bullet on this one.

“Ah, Hongbin-ssi!”

Taekwoon’s honeysuckle voice immediately catches him off guard in his current state of blind rage and utter panic.

“Ahh T-Taekwoon-ssi, hi! This is er… Rather unexpected,” he chuckles off with an awkward laugh, a gawky bow of the head in his direction thrown in. A fall so far from grace it’s like he’s from another planet in the Solar System.

“Yes I um… I’m sorry to disrupt your workflow so abruptly Hongbin-ssi,” he offers back sheepishly, adjusting a loosened tie. “But I have an important request to ask of you.”

As if this day couldn’t possibly get worse…

Hongbin turns his desk chair around fully to face Taekwoon, feigning as best of a smile as he can under the circumstances.

“And uh, what might that be, Taekwoon-ssi?”

He swears to the high heavens that this day has really, really gotten worse for wear now.

Emerging from behind Taekwoon, the goddamn CEO of this company himself emerges. The man who built the very foundations of this business, this building from the ground up, clad in an all-black ensemble that he’d frankly call illegal. 

Here to see  _ him _ of all people, for a request...

His mouth dries up. His lips fall open, as do his eyes in complete disbelief at this prospect. His ears don’t fail to pick up open the series of hushed murmurs that erupt throughout the rest of the office floor either, heads turning his way in a manner that only spikes anxiety.

What did he want from him? Why were  _ his  _ services in need for his superior? What made him stand out?

But worst of all, why the heck did he happen to be so handsome in the flesh?

There were far too many questions and uncertainties floating around Hongbin’s head at the minute to steer him onto a linear path of sane thought.

“Ah, h-hello, Hongbin-ssi.”

Oh, so  _ that’s  _ what he sounds like in person?

A tanned hand is outstretched in front of him, one visibly defined yet seemingly soft. Momentary idleness hits him before realising that  _ yes, he should most likely take that hand into his own to shake, as any respectable employee would do _ . It would only be polite for him to do so, after all.

Choked up beyond repair, he clasps his hand firmly, and with a few shakes of it is able to spit out his name, convincingly enough to sound like he’s got a grip on the situation, at least.

They hold a look that, much to Hongbin’s surprise, shares this feeling of diffidence.

“Was there anything you wanted help with today, Sir?” Hongbin feels obliged to ask.

“Well, yes erm…”

Now Hakyeon seems to be the flustered one in all this, scratching the back of his head anxiously. “It’s a rather odd request here, but… My dear friend and trusted colleague suggested that I speak to you about this.”

“Oh? And what may that be about?”

“Well, I…” A nervous laugh trickles from his mouth. “Basically, I need a babysitter, for showcase night. Something which I’ve should’ve arranged sooner… But I was wondering if you’d be interested in the position at all.”

“A b-babysitter?” Hongbin repeats, eyes bulbous and in complete shock. “Well-uh-t-that’s entirely unexpected.”

“I-I know, yeah. But Jaewhan-ssi had been the one to recommend you. Said you’ve had some past experience?”

Jaehwan? The suggestion from him only comes as more of a shock, if anything.

“You could say that, yeah,” he replies flusteredly. “He’s not wrong.”

“Oh, well that’s brilliant! Again, I’m sorry about the abruptness of this request, Hongbin-ssi…”

Hongbin diverts his gaze to Hakyeon’s side, where Taekwoon is sheepishly looking away, gently gnawing on a smirk painted upon his lips.

Did  _ he _ happen to have something to do with this at all?

Well no matter. He’d rather not read too closely into that right now..

“It’s alright, sir. I understand your need someone urgently for this.”

Hongbin’s trying his hardest to empathise with Hakyeon here, in spite of the awkwardness of the situation. “But I think… Yeah. I should be able to do this. It shouldn’t be a problem, I don’t think.”

“Oh, you really mean that?”

A nod and a smile are sent Hakyeon’s way.

“Alright, thank you so much Hongbin-ssi!” he hears the older man exclaiming excitedly, eyes gleaming in a captivating sort of way. “I’ll send you some more details in a few days, brief you in on what to expect, get to know you more as well. How does that sound?”

That sounds awfully thorough, but Hongbin manages to agree to the arrangement. He also proceeds to add the CEO’s personal mobile number onto his phone. He never thought he’d ever see that day.

“Perfect! Guess that’s a date, then.”

Hongbin’s cheeks flush at Hakyeon’s phrasing, sensing Sanghyuk’s focus on him the entire time not helping.

“Yes. I suppose it is.”

“Amazing! I’ll get in touch.”

And just like that, he struts away. Hongbin is bewildered to say the very least.

“Did… Did that really just happen?” Sanghyuk murmurs, equally as lost.

“I… I think it did…”

This is definitely going to take some time to process.

  
  
  
  


☙

  
  
  
  


A couple of days clumsily pass by Hongbin’s calendar, and for a time thinks that the whole babysitting things is merely a daft prank at his expense.

That is until he finally receives a message back from Hakyeon as promised, asking if he can turn up to his department downtown for their ‘meeting’. Hongbin complies, seeing him arrive to his flat in one of his own prize-winning models.

The vehicle pulls up on the side of the road, and Hongbin becomes just as numb as he was when the CEO first approached him less than a week ago.

Stepping out of the car, this time in a maroon cotton turtleneck tightly hugging his frame, he looks even more attractive than Hongbin had thought was possible. Long overcoat included, a sudden surge of fear courses through him at the thought of Hakyeon even entering the building.

Would he judge him for how worn down his humble abode was?

No time to think of that now. The doorbell sounds and Hongbin’s heart lurches into his throat.

Descending the stars rather ungracefully, hood of his oversized purple hoodie bouncing along with every gaiety step, he unlocks the door and swings it open after hearing a few light raps against the worn, wooden door.

Opening it doesn’t lessen his wonderment at what is currently happening any less, though.

“Ah! Hello, Hakyeon-ssi!” Hongbin exclaims in his presence, donning his best wide-mouthed grin.

“Why hello there, Hongbin-ssi!” his warm tone rings, immediately putting his employee at a little more ease. “It’s really nice to see you again. May I come in?”

A nod of a response is all he can muster before gesturing the older man to take a step into the department. The stained alabaster walls of the stairway leading up to Hongbin’s place is rather unspectacular, but in ways a humbling affirmation of his contentedness with what he has. Or so he’d like to think.

“So, this is your place huh?”

Hakyeon’s voice resonates throughout the hallway, floorboards protesting with subtle groans after each ascending step that they take.

“Yeah, has been for some years. Although my flatmate’s out right now.”

‘Luckily’ he wants to attach, but doesn’t want to seem rude. Not that he would’ve denied it though. Having Wonshik here would’ve only made things  _ more _ awkward. 

As awkward as having the highest person within the company you worked at visiting your house could already be, at least.

Hongbin signals for Hakyeon to sit onto the slightly worn leather sofa in the living room, as red as the scalding-hot blood pumping through Hongbin’s veins whilst in Hakyeon’s presence.

“Would you like any tea?” the younger offers, wanting to be hospitable.

Hakyeon grins. “That would be lovely, yes please! What kinds do you have?”

“Oh, just standard tea.”

“That’s fine. I’d love some then, thank you.”

Hongbin proceeds to leave the room to enter the kitchen, boiling the kettle and making a swift job of preparing the beverages. Something rather uneventful, but it gives him a little time to prepare for the conversation that may come.

Hakyeon gives him his thanks, and the two of them finally settle down onto the sofa together.

Settling the steaming tea down onto the coffee table, Hongbin observes how the other man is poised, legs crossed, making himself at home. It’s an oddly nice feeling, albeit a little nerve-wracking.

“So, Bin-ah...”

Hakyeon is quick to omit the casual form of address, it seems. 

“Tell me, do you have a lot of experience with babysitting?”

A tilt of the head and gaze to his side is all it takes to formulate an answer.

“Well...I did look after my younger cousins a lot, whilst growing up,” he offers, “When I was around, twelve or so? Like, coming back from school, I’d have to feed them, keep an eye on them whilst also juggling studies, since their parents were so busy.”

An understanding hum in response is heard.

“It was admittedly a handful... But I have faith that you’d be putting your kids in safe hands, Hakyeon-ssi.”

“Ah, please,” he says softly “Do call me hyung.”

Hongbin shifts his vision onto the rim of the mug, failing to fight off the smirk emerging onto his lips at that.

“Well, hyung - in that case, I do hope that you’d have faith in me to do a good job, if you let me.”

His shy gaze meets with his superior’s for a moment, the pair of them mirroring a fond, endearing look, something almost picturesque as he lightly chuckles the tension away. Hongbin observes Hakyeon smoothing down the kink in his turtleneck, formulating his next question.

“So, Bin-ah,” he continues casually, “Tell me more about yourself? What was school like?”

_ Ah. _

Hongbin hadn’t foreseen this turning into some kind of interview of his life story as he fails to bury down the wheezy laugh that comes out his chest at such a question. Now he  _ definitely _ avoids his gaze.

“Ah, well, you know… I good grades, but was pretty quiet kid. Didn’t have many friends, but I’ve grown to become comfortable living that way…”

He sees Hakyeon absorb his every word with enthusiastic nods, chin resting on a propped up hand as he talks more in depth.

“I… It’s hard to explain, but I’ve always felt more comfortable being alone.”

“I think we’re all like that, in a way.”

“No, hyung,” he hesitates, voice wavering slightly. “There’s more to it than that. Whilst you can actually maintain a conversation, I just - I don’t know… I just… falter, most of the time.”

Hakyeon’s silence prompts him to fill it with more words.

“It’s like… When I’m out there in the world, everything becomes too overwhelming to handle. Any sound, any random person coming up to you for something feels like some kind of threat, like they merely want to use you.”

He thinks he reads unjudging curiosity in Hakyeon’s eyes, but fears that he’s gone too far.

“Oh-oh gosh, I’m saying too much now, aren’t I? I’m sorry,” Hongbin forcibly laughs, waving hands panickedly in front of himself, as if he can shield his embarrassment. “Guess that’s why I stick behind a desk most of the time, eh?”

Much to his surprise, Hakyeon’s eyes gaze holds something akin to sympathy, a mild pout preoccupying his puckered lips.

“But you’re maintaining a conversation with me right now, aren’t you?”

Hongbin ponders that for a moment. “I suppose so, yes… But it’s, it’s not the same.”

_ Maybe it’s because I actually feel like I could be myself around you _ , he avoids adding.

“Anyways uh, what were  _ you _ like at school, hyung? To put the spotlight onto you.”

Hakyeon laughs himself, interlocking his own fingers with a grin.

“Well rounded, I guess. Just like you, I got good grades. Immersed myself into the arts when I could. Managed to juggle everything all together, somehow.”

“Oh, one of the popular kids, were you?” Hongbin prods with minor scorn.

Hakyeon chuckles back.

“In a sense, yeah… Never had a partner, though. Not until later in life, at least.”

_ Partner? _

Something about the word strikes an abstract chord in Hongbin’s mind.

It probably doesn’t mean much at all, though it’s still an interesting word choice that makes him momentarily reflect. He is, however, pleasantly surprised by his superior’s sincerity overall; he’d been far more down to Earth than he ever could have anticipated, and something about that simply allures him. He certainly feels comfortable in his presence, and that’s more than enough for him.

“Nor did I, to be honest,” he adds rather belatedly, “Not that stuff like that truly matters all that much, anyways.”

“Yeah… There are more important things to worry about, after all.”

Hakyeon’s tone sounds slightly off when saying that, but Hongbin doesn’t let it get to him too much.

Now feels like as good of a time as any to gear the conversation onto the main agenda.

“Anyway, uh… Who would you be expecting me to look after? How many kids do you have?”

“Ah yes, of course!”

Almost instantaneously, Hakyeon retrieves a well-kept black leather wallet from the pocket of his overcoat, flips it open and pulls out a recent but worn out picture of two very young children. They appear to be of similar age, but one of them is distinctly older. Either of them couldn’t have been older than three though.

“This here is my youngest, Yejoon. He’s one and a half now, and has such a knack for creativity that it’s actually amazing!”

He points at the picture with something akin to adoration in his eyes, and Hongbin can see just how lively the child’s features are; eyes crinkled up like tiny little crescent moons, matched up with a dazzling, sunny smile (identical to his father’s, might he add), leaving the babysitter-to-be entirely endeared to say the least.

“He’s incredibly energetic, so I’d say to keep an eye on him when you can. Quirky too, but man, does he bring joy into my life.”

Hongbin absorbs the information in with a series of nods before being formally introduced to the second and older child in the photograph.

“I’ve also got my only daughter, Ahnjong. Although her name means tranquility, I’ve come to learn that she… Often represents quite the contrary!”

The last part comes out as a seasoned little laugh to Hongbin’s ears, his lips perking upwards at its saccharinity. “She  _ is _ precious though. An absolute star, and I can tell she’s got her mother’s confidence, as well as my charm of course.”

Hongbin scoffs, the pair of them sharing a flurry of giggles at such a statement.

“I’m sure she does, hyung. What exactly happened to her though, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Hongbin notices Hakyeon’s smile faltering momentarily, a light sigh escaping his mouth.

“She uh… Well, her and I separated, not long ago.”

“Oh…”

It doesn’t exactly take a genius to notice the way he anxiously scratches at his neck, briefly averting his gaze elsewhere.

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” Hongbin replies sympathetically, solemness washing over his features.

“Yeah it’s uh… Just how it is. Sometimes things simply don’t work out in life. We just have to learn to move on and adapt.”

Hongbin nods, a little unnerved by how serious the topic of discussion has become.

“Sorry, don’t mind me getting all philosophical,” Hakyeon lightly laughs off. Or at least tries to. “Let me lightened the subject… What’s your ultimate goal in life? Like, what are your dreams?”

Yet another set of questions which catch the marketing employee entirely off guard, anxiously chuckling at the bombardment.

“Honestly…” 

Apprehension fuels his system for a second, but not before finding a look in Hakyeon’s eyes that speak fondly of reassurance.

“...I’d love to be a singer.”

Hakyeon’s eyebrows shoot up inquisitively at that.

“It sounds really, really cheesy I know but-”

“No, it’s not as dumb as you think,” Hakyeon interjects, “Not at all. It’s something I think a lot of us would love as an ideal job. Myself included, to be honest.”

“You? CEO of CHY Motors, a  _ singer _ ?” Hongbin chides playfully. “Who would’ve thought, huh?”

“Hey, you don’t know what I’m capable of, Hongbin-ah!” he retorts, his tone borderline teasing. Perhaps even faintly sultry from the delivery.

“Alright. Do you happen to sing a lot, then?”

“I did do a few performances back in the day, yeah. I’m by no means a professional, but I do enjoy singing in my downtime for sure. I have a karaoke machine back at my place, maybe I could get to hear you sing sometime?”

Another abrupt laugh erupts from Hongbin’s mouth, proceeding to cover his face with his hands.

“I… Sure thing hyung, maybe sometime you could…”

They take in remaining sips of tea in contented silence, an unfamiliar warmth protruding inside Hongbin’s chest, nearly as comforting as the mug cradled between his palms.

“Thank you for having me over,” Hakyeon says, settling his own emptied mug onto the table. “It was a pleasure getting to know you.”

“Same here, Hakyeon-hyung.”

“I’ll let you know closer to the date about all the arrangements. In the meantime though, I hope to see you around more often at work. My office is only ever a few floors away, don’t forget that!”

“Okay hyung, I’ll remember that,” Hongbin adds, nodding his head enthusiastically with a toothy grin. “Let me show you the way out.”

Hongbin’s steps alongside Hakyeon down the stairs aren’t quite as uncoordinated this time, going to push door ajar with a slight  _ squeak _ after they put their shoes back on, ready to part ways.

“I’ll see you soon, Hongbin-ah. Do take care!”

Hongbin remains by the door and gives him a little wave, intently watching Hakyeon’s every last step towards a vehicle probably worth more than his house and savings combined. 

A small sigh escapes his lips as he sees him enter it, the executive now far from view and reach. But what surprises Hongbin most is the sudden wave of melancholy that washes over him in his absence.

With the abrupt rev of an engine, the boss whisks himself away down the quiet road, leaving a little wave in his wake. Only then do the words that had been lodged inside of Hongbin’s throat finally come to surface:

“You too, hyung. You too…”

  
  
  
  


☙

  
  
  
  


Launch night arrives faster than Hakyeon had anticipated, although everything is just in place as it should be.

He’d texted Hongbin some days prior to let him know where his flat was, providing him with a spare set of keys to the flat and a near-encyclopaedic fact file on both of his kids, so he has the confidence that things will go well tonight.

The busy Seoul streets seamlessly stream past his tinted window, letting the bottled water that falls between his lips quench his tongue in an attempt to calm his nerves. Although it ultimately ends up being of little help in cooling the rising anxiety unsettlingly flowing through his body.

He remains painfully oblivious to the arrival to the venue, until his chauffeur props the limo door ajar, enabling vibrant lights to hit Hakyeon at full force, almost as if to arouse him from the entrapment of this magical spell taking over his mind.

He mouths a little ‘oh’ and winces mildly at the world beyond his vehicle, fumbling out of it rather clumsily, not forgetting to leave a ‘thanks’ as he parts ways with the driver and leaves him a little tip. 

He straightens out the newly-formed wrinkles of his Burberry trench coat upon approaching the building, not one to pay too much mind to the flashing of cameras that surround and follow him (instead, he offers the photographers a gentle smile and polite wave of the hand, remaining as courteous as possible under the pressure). Not even a minute’s worth of exposure to the chilling Seoul air is granted to him, but it’s enough to refresh him somewhat, hitting his face with every one of his brisk, agitated steps.

He walks into a tent set up backstage, greeting all his employees with courteous bows of the head and friendly waves, grinning from ear to ear from the mixture of anxiety and anticipation coursing through his veins.

From the corner of his eye, his longtime makeup designer Sejeong signals for him to come over, warmly embracing her for the first time in a while and letting her comforting jasmine scentl wash over his nostrils entirely. He’ll take anything remotely relaxing to his advantage tonight.

“Hakyeon, darling!” she chirps delightedly above the clattering of voices and distant booming of pop music. “It’s so lovely to see you again!”

“Likewise, sweet Sejeong-ah!” he exclaims to rival the noise, feeling himself being settled down into the makeup chair. It ends up making him instantly feel right at home.“It’s been far too long dear, but I do hope you’re well.”

“Couldn’t be better, buttercup!” she coos, squeezing onto the CEO’s shoulders. “So, what look were you thinking of for tonight? Something more…  _ Bold? _ ”

“Hmm, I’d say to just keep it natural if you can, please.”

“Awww, not even a  _ liiiittle _ bit of eyeshadow to tempt you, Mr Cha?”

Through the mirror’s reflection, she dons the best pleading, puppy-eyed look that she can muster, complete with a mischievous glint in her eyes that seems to do the trick. Hakyeon puffs out a mildly defeated sigh, unable to resist her pleas.

“...Okay okay, just a little to emphasise the eyes, I guess,” he chuckles heartily, gently tapping her arm in a playful manner.

“Oh I’ve got you covered honey, don’t worry.”

“Well, not yet you haven’t, my dear.”

She reels her head back in an almost obnoxiously loud howl of laughter (but one contagious enough to have the corners of Hakyeon’s mouth spring to life), going on to circle around him to get the job done.

Hakyeon sinks himself into the makeup chair, easing the tension in his shoulders as best as he can whilst leaving the trusted makeup artist to work.

Nerves are still bottled up in his system, subtly bubbling up from the surface of his skin in the form of mild jitters in his legs and the twiddling of fingers.

Despite the immense preparation that has gone into this single night, he can’t help the fears now manifesting in their physical form along his body. Not even as Sejeong gives him a puzzled look at the way he fidgets with the thin rings encasing his fingers.

However, almost as if some omniscient presence has been following his every move, he hears the loud  _ ping _ of his phone, its screen illuminating with just what he needs to see.

  
  


**_hongbin_ **

_ good luck for tonight, hyung. hwaiting! _

  
  


Hakyeon can’t fight off the grin that invades his lips when that message appears, despite the gentle beating of a makeup sponge against his primed, prepped skin causing mild discomfort.

“Hakyeon, darling... Stop smiling, you’ll form creases in the foundation!”

Begrudgingly, he purses his lips together into a tight line, allowing the makeup artist to do her job. Although the occasional query and bouts of smalltalk do slip through, it doesn’t extinguish the enlightening feeling of joy stirring up inside of him.

What he finds most surprising of all however is just how this single text from Hongbin could help alleviate so much internal tension; he had after all been planning to look after his kids, so it only felt natural for his presence to wash him in some sense of relief.

“Now, look up…”

He’s grown familiar to the slightly uncomfortable sensation of an angled brush rubbing along his under eye over the years. Although it’s always been a necessary one in order to pull off that intense stare needed to capture the audience’s attention tonight. To lure in sights and subsequent sales, as it were.

And with a few final, stylistic touches of Sejeong’s makeup brush, Hakyeon’s ready to take the stage.

“You’ll do amazingly,” she states softly, grinning so brightly that Hakyeon can’t help feeling a little stunned by her beauty. He’s only capable of reciprocating a weaker grin in comparison, muttering out a gentle but sincere ‘thank you’ before he must be whisked into the spotlight, away from the tranquility that she brings.

With the black collar of his unbuttoned shirt smoothed down and sleeves rolled up, his stage is ready for the taking.

He stands behind one of the backstage panels, is handed a microphone and earpiece of sorts then quickly briefed on the aural setup from one of the sound engineers. Intently, he lets the information sink into his head as an ample distraction from all the other commotion surrounding him at present, from fussy managers, frantic cameramen to even his continually unsettled mind.

He’s told that he’ll be on in a matter of moments, so all he can do is hold his breath and… Wait.

The earpiece that he’d been told to put in finally crackles to life, transmitting with it a grainy, gravelly little voice telling Hakyeon he’ll be on in ‘five, four, three, two, one...’

And that’s all it takes for legs to subconsciously swing themselves onto the stage, even if his mind largely protests against such a thing.

Upon entering the artificial spotlight, Hakyeon observes the stage bathed almost entirely in an alluring shade of royal blue; Hakyeon’s proud possession take centre stage upon a gradually rotating platform, its sleek, sharp design readily on show for the audience going wild in front of him.

More than ever, he’s in awe of Jaehwan’s lighting choice - no, by his design choices in general, but more so now than ever as they’ve come to fruition and have been birthed into the real word.

He adores the way the glossy black paint job of his car reflects the eccentrically bright neon blue beaming down onto right where he’s standing. Giant monitors also reside on either side of the stage, broadcasting a glitzy ad for the car model in action, swerving down roads upon a cliffside, all shot with aerial shots that probably cost an extortionate amount to fund, let alone the car model being used in question.

He’d mentally noted how Sanghyuk had been the one to edit the footage, and he can’t help feeling a sense of pride emanates throughout his chest at that. For he and Hongbin had done a great job of working together here. Overall, although to some degree these had been the kind of designs to be ripped straight out of a Tron movie, this still didn’t tear away from the fact that Hakyeon still finds appeal in Jaehwan’s long-time, individually artistic flair. What drove him to consult his work and make a space for him in his company during the early start-ups.

Sifting through the contents of his mind once he’s finally in place, the shift focuses onto the briefing and overall agenda of boosting company sales tonight - frankly, quite literally selling his soul out to hundreds of thousands across the nation and some thousand in his presence.

As things gradually begin to perk up here (very much to his surprise), he has an equal amount of faith the on Hongbin’s end, things will work out tonight...

  
  
  
  


☙

  
  
  
  


The first thing that strikes Hongbin upon entering Hakyeon’s estate is just how extravagantly it presents itself.

It shouldn’t be remotely surprising to him in all honesty, considering the prestigious position Hakyeon maintains. But it is still able to leave him almost completely dumbfounded with the sheer wealth this place exudes; even the entrance to the building freaks him out - the ominously-tinted glass doors probably thrice his height, hiding behind them a swarm of well-built, bulky bodyguards with ear pieces and black sunglasses to boot.

In contrast to the wonky gate and stone path that laid before his humble abode, this feels like he’s stepping into the goddamn White House.

He’s thankful however that they let him slip into the premises relatively unscathed with a single flash of Hakyeon’s ID card. Sure, the puzzled look the guards give him don’t exactly leave his mind any time soon, but it lets him access the elevator (something just as freakishly modernised as the lobby, if he’s being honest) and press in the numbers for the floor that Hakyeon’s apartment resides in.

It must have been rush hour by this point, for the sheer number of suited-up bodies that flood into the elevator alongside him, brushing shoulders against his in a frankly asphyxiating manner nearly makes him nauseous from all the brewing, emanating heat bouncing off the walls of that metallic, cuboid box.

The ascension to Hakyeon's flat however is, fortunately, a short-lived venture, with people gradually trickling out of the thing with each new floor being reached, consequently making the unbearable heat just that bit more tolerable.

Dampened hairs still plaster themselves onto Hongbin’s sweaty forehead, and it genuinely feels like he’ll collapse inside this godforsaken human-sized oven at any moment.

That is, until a robotic voice announcing  _ floor 24 _ breaks him out of his trance, accompanied with the faint gush of a much cooler air wafting in through the now parted doors, gloriously hitting him with a much needed revitalisation of his system.

His dizziness subsides, enough for him to stagger out of the damn thing, practically gasping for air. If not for already knowing Hakyeon was away (for very important reasons, at that), he’d be mortified to turn up at his place in a sweat-ridden state such as this. But this doesn’t stop him from wanting to present himself with some sort of dignity.

To his luck though, the place is actually rich enough to have its own lavatory for guests and residents on this floor alike, to which he hastily scurries into to wash away his current mess

There are no words to fully encapsulate the feeling, but in the moment that Hongbin splashes his face with the running tap water and surveys his reflection in the bathroom mirror, nothing but the palpable sensation of reality washes over him. Of where he’s standing, of this current situation, of everything that’s brought him up to this moment in life.

He studies his dampened features, water gushing liberally from the tap with firmly-gripped hands against the rim of the sink. Shoulders slumped and a little breathless, all of this is taken in through mildly bloodshot, gawking eyes.

A sigh erupts from inside him, not quite sure how he landed himself into this position. No, he knows precisely why, but still can’t quite process the actuality of the events unfolding right before his eyes.

Although the fact that there’s a pressing duty at hand prevents him from dwelling upon these thoughts too much, and ultimately decides that this is the best course of action.

Taking a little of the tissue paper suspended on the wall to pat his face dry, Hongbin leaves the bathroom with his face considerably less sweaty and fractionally less crimson. There aren’t many steps needed to reach Hakyeon’s flat, and upon arriving there, he places a few gentle raps against its door.

With crossed arms and a gently-tapping foot, he waits.

The door opens merely moments later.

“Ah! Taekwoon-ssi, I didn’t expect to see you here!”

“Hello Hongbin-ssi,” Takewoon begins, voice soft and quiet as ever. “I was just waiting for your arrival. Couldn’t just leave the kids unattended to now, could I?”

“Ah yes, of course not.”

The executive's assistant flashes Hongbin a gentle smile, gesturing him to enter. “Please, do come in.”

Hongbin follows suit with an ample smile, making sure to leave his shoes by the door. 

Almost immediately, the flat’s boastfully large presence makes itself apparent; housing a lofty ceiling (probably tall enough to fit three Hongbins stacked on top of each other), the room seemingly extends into an entire damn corridor, leading onto five other rooms, if the doors are any indication.

Most of the interior decor looks relatively plain, to his surprise - beechwood floorboards gleam under his sock-covered feet, with a pretty simplistic yet rather intriguing layered pendant lamp hanging from the ceiling. It stands just as pristine as the walls, adorned minimalistically with the odd cactus and small painting propped up and scattered around the room. Even the window curtains are relatively plain, grey cotton curved inward to let some moonlight in.Yet there is still a homeliness which resonates throughout the space, despite its vastness.

To his left, he sees a sectional leather couch, comfortable enough to seat at least five people nestled perfectly into the corner, placed a sizable distance away from a large flatscreen TV against the wall. Between them resides a glass coffee table, seemingly a tissue box on top with a few scattered coasters and a small pile of books.

It’s quite the expansive place - larger than he’d been expecting from the outside appearance. But there’s more than enough room for each of Hongbin’s footsteps to resound all over, taking gazes of wonderment at all the apartment has to offer.

“It’s a lovely place, isn’t it?” Taekwoon murmurs suddenly with something akin to pride in his tone.

Hongbin’s reply is barely audible, still quite struck by it all.

“Very much so, yeah…”

“Hyung’s had this place for four years now, a little before the kids came along. Before… Well…”

To Taekwoon’s silence, Hongbin turns around to see his superior’s head lowered, stanced almost as if he were in mourning.

“It’s no matter. Or at least, not one I’m in a place to discuss with you.”

“...Right…I understand.”

“Anyway, can’t stay for long. Have some business of my own to attend to right now.”

“Oh, where are you going?”

A mischievous little smirk appears on Taekwoon’s mouth, failing miserably to hide the joy in his face.

“Oh nowhere special,” he barely murmurs, heavily avoiding the younger’s gaze, fidgeting like mad.

Hongbin narrows his eyes, utterly unconvinced. “Oh come on now, hyung. You’re a terrible liar.”

“Ah, alright, alright! Maybe… Maybe I’m going to see Jaehwan-ah tonight…”

“Y-you  _ what?!” _ Hongbin’s voice erupts sharply, more in disbelief than anything. “Oh my god, that’s… Quite unexpected, wow.”

He merely receives a bubbly laugh in response, noticing how Taekwoon covers his face, cheeks entirely flushed and eyes tightly squeezed, like he’d been feverishly infected with love.

“Ah, well I…”

“It’s alright hyung, don’t mind me, I’m sorry. I do hope that you two have a wonderful evening, though,” Hongbin sputters out in fear of having offended his colleague, wanting it to have been the  _ last _ thing he could’ve done.

Taekwoon merely nods back appreciatively, letting out a little ‘thanks’ and a subtle smile, wandering off to check out his platinum blond hair in the reflection of a nearby mirror. Hongbin studies the older man, how he’s attending to every finite detail to look as flawless as he can for tonight. He silently chuckles to himself at this, observing from a distance with a sense of fondness taking over him. Especially at the peculiarity of this situation, to see how someone whom he’d seldom interacted with during his working life act in such a way. 

Seeing this other side to him was nothing short of amusing, in all honesty.

Only then does the paddling of gentle footsteps reverberate within the capacious room, emerging from the hallway with an airy, light sound that almost immediately catches the editor’s attention. They echo around him, enough to make it evident that these are definitely  _ not _ the footsteps of a fully-grown person being made.

Hongbin instinctively whips his head around towards the sound, letting out an unexpectedly delighted ‘squeak’ at what he sees.

Yejoon, the youngest of Hakyeon’s children holds an adorable, wide-eyed gaze of wonderment towards Hongbin. His head barely reaches above his knees, and he keeps small toy bunny cradled in between in his arm, sucking onto his thumb with such a youthful look painted across his face.

Something sets alight inside of Hongbin’s eyes at the sight of him, no longer just somebody in a mere photograph but an actual person right in front of him.

“Oh, hello there! And who might you be, eh?”

Hongbin crouches down to his level with a wide smile.

Reaching out an offering hand, all the kid does in response is cutely slant his head to the side in confusion, curious as to why a stranger would do such a thing.

“My name is Hongbin. Lee Hongbin, I’ll be looking after you tonight, instead of your Dad.”

After some hesitation, Yejoon clutches his hand around one of Hongbin’s fingers, which only solicits a sweet laugh from the grown man. One that nearly makes his body topple over right where he squats.

At the contact, Hongbin motions his hand up and down, as if to simulate an actual handshake of sorts, eyes positively gleaming.

“Nice to meet you too, Yejoon-ah.”

To his right he senses even more movement, averting his gaze in that direction, greeted with a precious little face, eyes smiling fiercely and a grin spread across her face.

“Oh, hello there! And who might you be, hmm?”

She giggles sweetly, venturing closer towards him in a pastel pink onesie printed all over with unicorns - a clothing choice that Hongbin can’t help but find simply adorable.

“...Ahnjong,” she calls out after a moment, bowing in tandem at her guardian for the night, another action that makes Hongbin’s heart swell pleasantly with warmth. “Uh… Daddy’s friend?”

Hongbin nods enthusiastically, grin still just as apparent on his features.

She knots her miniscule set of eyebrows together, placing a finger onto her mouth as she tries to remember his name.

“H… H-Hongbee-nim?”

“Ah,  _ Hongbin _ , Hongbin-nim, yes,” he chuckles, “but you were pretty close!”

She laughs, squeaking out in delight.

“Hongbin, Hongbin!” she repeats, something melodic in her tone, although she still remains a little distant from him.

“Yes yes,” he coos softly, “Nice to meet you too, Ahnjong-ah.”

At that, he extends out his hand for her to take. Although initially a little hesitant, she places it into his own, finally enabling him to share a proper handshake, eliciting a sweet chuckle from his throat.

Hakyeon’s children happened to be just as charming as him, it seems.

“I must go now I’m afraid,” Taekwoon announces from the doorway, sliding an overcoat over his slender frame “but do have fun you all!”

“Goodbye uncle Taekwoon!” the two children exclaim, almost in sync.

“Yes, see you soon Taekwoon-ah. Do have fun yourself too!”

Taekwoon merely grins back at Hongbin, yelling out ‘I’m sure I will!’ before letting himself slip out of the door, what will be the last of his presence for tonight.

Hongbin could only imagine what kind of night Taekwoon would be in store for now.

“Now kids, what shall we do tonight?”

Ahnjong gestures frantically towards the flat screen TV in the corner of the room, jumping up and down with excitement, mind buzzing.

“TV, TV, TV!”

“Alright, alright,” Hongbin laughs, “I’ll turn it on for you both. Who knows what we’ll find, hm?”

Scanning the room for the remote, he spots an idle Yejoon rocking back and forth on the ground, cradling the electronic device in his arms and attempting to knaw onto the plastic covering it.

This immediately induces a panicked state in Hongbin, quick to dash over to the infant to snatch it from his clutches.

“Ah- don’t do that, Yejoon-ah!” Hongbin scolds, holding back a grimace at the small trail of saliva forming from his mouth. He quickly grabs a tissue from the coffee table to clean up the mess, taking meticulous care not to irritate the child’s delicate skin, but finds something endearing in his little sniffles he makes as he wipes his mouth clean.

Once the child and the remote are both in a clean enough state, Hongbin switches the TV on, subconsciously flicking over to the channel that Hakyeon had told him that the broadcast would be aired on.

And gosh, he wasn’t expecting him to look so… Ethereal tonight.

In the corner of the screen, he could see the product of his and Sanghyuk’s work projected onto the monitors, smiling widely at what they’d pull off in contribution to this whole project.

But their glitzy presentation is nowhere near as alluring as the man in question, happening to be presenting it all.

“Oh, look who’s that?” Hongbin asks the children dotingly, the youngest seated on his lap as he signals towards the screen. “Isn’t that Papa?”

Yejoong delightedly claps his hands at the on-screen figure, eyes lit with an intangible excitement that Hongbin finds captivating.

He hears the familiar, mellifluous tone of his voice seeping from the speakers, a little lost in a haze of fixation to truly digest what it says word for word.

But he still feels entirely lured in, like tearing his eyes and ears away from the screen would be downright deplorable.

  
“... _ this particular model has been in production for some years now, one that I’m proud to showcase to the nation tonight...” _

Hakyeon’s stylish look for this evening doesn’t go unnoticed by Hongbin, almost entirely entranced by the subtle makeup adorning his face right now; soft hues of brown blended around his eyes which bring out their alluring quality tenfold.

Whoever the stylist was, they had done an amazing job. That much he could tell.

He finds himself a little too immersed into his look in fact, that he fails to even notice Ahnjong picking up the remote and dashing towards the corner of the room with it, swinging it around like a fire hazard in a fit of giggles.

“Yah- Ahnjong-ah,  _ please _ don’t do that!” he calls out hastily, rising from his chair swiftly to grab it out of her hand.

An unattended Yejoon then takes the opportunity to suddenly get closer to the screen, close enough so that he can begin lightly tapping against the 40-inch screen when Hakyeon’s confident, dazzling smile takes up most of it.

“Dada, dada!!” he chants gleefully, which despite Hongbin finding a winsome quality to, he remains predominantly concerned over the child’s extreme proximity to the screen.

From this single night alone, he’s truly come to underestimate the skills and patience needed in order to mind for two  _ very _ young children on his own. In a way, it only makes Hongbin admire Hakyeon that much more for juggling such hefty commitments in his life all at once.

Yet another thing to add onto his non existent, never-ending list of all his lovable traits, it seems.

Hongbin’s brief ponderings of admiration however don’t remove the fact that Yejoon continues to curiously prod all over the screen, leaving smudges as well as causing the flatscreen to gently sway back and forth on its table.

Still too preoccupied with Ahnjong’s mildly chaotic behaviour, Hongbin doesn’t even notice the monitor’s minor movement, only the cacophony of squeals and screams of joy the younger child lets out as a result.

It takes a bit of Herculean effort to wriggle the remote out of Ahnjong’s possession (far more than he had suspected, truthfully: she’d definitely inherited Hakyeon’s endurance there). Though when the battle is won and Hongbin can finally return his attention back onto the CEO’s son, it’s far too late.

As the sudden sound of glass shattering enters Hongbin’s earshot, that’s when he knows that he’s completely and utterly screwed.

Yejoon withdraws from the broken device with an entirely bewildered expression, mouth and eyes agape in pure shock. Although thankfully on Hongbin’s lucky stars, the child hasn’t hurt himself.

Though immense frustration clouds his judgement, he tries his damned hardest not to let it channel through into his current behaviour, instead letting the primal instinct of wanting to protect the kids entirely take over instead.

“A-Ahnjong-ah!” he cries out, “Stay away from the TV, please!! Don’t go near it!”

He dashes rapidly towards the numbed child, cradling him tightly into his arms to escort him into another room in the flat, the kids’ shared room, just in time to hear him transition between silence into heaving wails, of which Hongbin attempts to soothe with gentle hushing and the soft rubbing of circle’s onto the toddler’s back.

Yejoon’s sniffles do indeed die down, and Hongbin even plants a soft kiss upon the child’s head, usering comforting words of reassurance that all will be okay, and that he’s safe and not in trouble.

Just as quickly he goes to retrieve the older child from the room, who had fortunately been behaving herself enough to avoid rummaging through the wreckage of glass shards and crackling circuits unsupervised.

He places the two of them together side by side, squeezing onto each of their shoulders tightly as a means of comfort. By now, Yejoon’s bawling seemed to have ceased itself entirely, and Ahnjong remains just as unphased by the transpiring of recent events.

“Okay, you two,” Hongbin starts a little shakily, “Whatever you do,  _ don’t _ leave this room. Not until your Daddy gets here, okay? I will text him now and clean up the mess… Just,  _ please _ don’t leave here without my permission, understand?”

His words are received almost entirely with blank stares, though they each give him what can only be considered faint nods of understanding. That would have to do for now.

“Just, stay here,” Hongbin repeats wearily, going towards the door. “I’ll be back sooner than you think…”

Frantic desperation takes over Hongbin’s mind the second the door closes, rummaging hastily through his jacket pockets in order to get his phone. For a split second, he thinks that he’s lost the damn thing, momentarily pausing the functionality of his heart.

But it comes back to him when the rectangular object is felt in his hand.

Unlocking it faster than he’s done in his life, he prays the elder’s phone is on silent as he proceeds to send the following text:

  
  


_ hyung. get back to me asap!!! we have a problem. _

  
  


Now, all that’s left to do is wait...

  
  
  
  


☙

  
  
  
  


To Hakyeon’s delight, the showcase goes incredibly well.

He’s barely able to make his way off the stage, bid his gratitude to all those involved and walk to his very own limo before Jaehwan is already flooding his phone with all sorts of supportive messages, including how much the whole campaign seemingly blew up on Twitter, on  _ most _ social media platforms for that matter.

It really cements just how much the hard work of Hakyeon and his team has paid off, now more confident than ever that his company will be going places. 

Slumping himself in the back seat of his limo, deflating the burdensome weight of this evening out from his chest, all feels like it’s seeming in place, and that everything is finally going according to plan. And for that, he couldn’t be more delighted.

It only takes a single vibration of his device to completely shatter that illusion, however.

In a matter of minutes, he receives a text that immediately makes his stomach drop like barreled bricks onto solid tarmac; the desperation in Hongbin’s tone immediately sets off alarms in Hakyeon’s head, and nothing but the asphyxiating feeling of dread courses through his body.

_ Shit shit shit… _

He begs the driver to speed up to vehicle towards his apartment (as much as he is legally permitted to anyways), now beginning to lose control and regularity of his breathing, gripping tightly onto the arm rests either side of him to try grounding himself back to reality… With little success.

He then tries to do this by looking out the window, attempting to find some sense of sensibility in the hazy blur of neon lights of the outside world, whizzing past him with as much chaos as the paranoia surging through his mind in this present moment. It turns out not being particularly effective, only really making him feel worse, if anything.

As a last resort, he clumsily texts out a message to Hongbin under the mounting pressure and anxiety surrounding his children’s welfare:

_ omg what’s happened? hold on bin-ah, i’ll be back asap!!! _

He just prays that he’ll actually be calm enough to function once he arrives.

  
  
  
  


☙

  
  
  
  


Hongbin frantically sweeps up the milieu of black glass shards scattered across the apartment floor, having already put the children into the other room to keep them safe from the hazardous mess.

He prays that Hakyeon will turn up soon. To be able to put the kids at much-needed ease more than anything else right now, knowing full well that from barely being acquainted with them, he simply can’t offer them the same amount of comfort as their true guardian can. 

His heart pulsates at an unbearably wild rate upon waiting for his return, hopeful that this will happen in due course. 

Knees against the wooden tile floor, he gets up to escort the gathered pieces, retrieves some newspaper from the other side of the room and bundles up the miniscule, glassy shards into several layers of printed paper to prevent them from potentially piercing skin.

For now, he keeps them on the desk to be disposed of when Hakyeon comes back.

Which does beg the question:  _ when  _ will he come back?

Before things become a little too chaotic for him to handle, Hongbin settles himself onto the chair aside from the dining table, knees bouncing up and down rapidly, feet poised onto his tippy-toes, just letting the anxiety wash over him almost entirely with minimal resistance. He surrenders to its calling, unable to truly to tamper with its waves, sweat forming on his forehead and his entire system surging with adrenaline. Almost a cyclical repeat of earlier events, but with a greater risks at hand.

An elongated sigh escapes his body, fully accepting the brunt of this situation, including the self-loathsome thoughts continuing to ruminate inside his mind for letting things backfire tonight.

Sure, it was only over a smashed up TV screen. But he feels like any chances he may have had are now utterly shattered at this point.

With his head cushioned between the palm of his hands, all he can do is wait...

  
  
  
  


☙

  
  
  
  


This must have been record time for Hakyeon getting back to this flat in all of his years owning that place.

What should’ve felt like a familiar commute to him by now only registers to his senses like a gaussian blur, noise and vision devoid of any real meaning or clarity, all whirring by unbearably slowly with a distinctly muted vibrancy; a mystified mosaic of muted colours and sounds merging together groggily inside his head, despite his urgency and fears.

Finally, the limousine arrives at his halls of residence. With a shaky ‘thanks’, Hakyeon slips some crisp 1000 won notes into his chauffeur's hand, making a rather ungraceful exit out of vehicle and hastily slips through the apartment block doors, speeding past the receptionist with a quick nod at practically lightning speed (thankfully, he had recognised him).

_ The perks of having enough status to not have to be verified _ , Hakyeon’s mind entertains for a split second amidst the madness.

He nearly enters the elevator at a sprinter’s pace, pushing at all of the buttons frantically to get the doors to close. Punching in the numbers ‘24’ quicker than he can blink, he attempts to keep a somewhat stable composure during the rapid ascent of the machine to his home.

Impatient tapping of the foot, frantic glances at his watch and frequent huffings of breath are all that are taken before the doors finally part at his designated floor. He eagerly rushes out of them, apologising to a resident he bumps into along the corridor before jogging his way towards intimately familiar territory.

Keys are fished out of his jacket pockets, immediately slotting them through the lock and prying the door open with an aggressive  _ swing, _ placing one foot after the other like he’s practically flooring his way inside of the building.

“Hongbin-ah! What happened??” he nearly yells, eyes rapidly scanning the room in an attempt to find him. “Where are the children?!”

“In-in the other room!” he cries back, voice muffled through the walls. “They’re alright though. They’re perfectly fine, don’t worry hyung...”

It doesn’t take long for Hongbin to emerge from the other room, visibly dishevelled with a rosy pink shade tinting his cheeks- no, almost the entirety of his face for that matter, gleaming radiantly under scrutinizing gaze of the lamp’s harsh lighting, making it nearly impossible to  _ not _ notice the harsh droplets of sweat now accumulating around his forehead either. 

He must have worked up quite a sweat from whatever had transpired in Hakyeon’s absence, and that unnerves him a great deal.

Quite the shock radiates through Hakyeon upon seeing the younger man in this state, seating himself at the kitchen counter in way practically mirroring  _ his  _ stature, his exterior woes, the works.

Instinctively, he approaches this trembling Hongbin with soft utterings of reassurance, taking him into an embrace the moment his eyes widen, holding him tightly to his chest.

“Hey hey, it’s alright Hongbin-ah,” he murmurs lowly, surprised at the anxious laugh that leaves the younger’s lips as he rubs his back in comforting circles, feeling his body tremble under his touch.

“What, what happened?”

“I’m so sorry, Hakyeon-ssi,” Hongbin says, borderline wails. “I’m really sorry…”

And with that, the CEO’s head snaps back behind him, surveying the smashed TV screen and all of its discarded remnants that had already been cleaned up in front of the sofa.

“Oh…Oh christ, but the children are okay, aren’t they?”

Hongbin nods, voice faint and shaky.

“Yes, they’re okay. None of them are hurt.”

“Well, that’s all that matters then…”

Hongbin lifts his head from Hakyeon’s shoulder, utterly perplexed. Probably from the amazement that Hakyeon’s expression appears relaxed. Concerned, but very much relaxed at the revelation.

Hakyeon strongly suspects that Hongbin hadn’t expected the elder to be so nonchalant about such a pricey TV being broken. But he should remember that a broken flat screen on a budget like his should be the  _ least _ of his concerns, so tries his best to not allow Hongbin to feel so devastated over something as menial as this. 

They then laugh. Heartily.

They both end up laughing a lot. Laughing until that’s all that happens to be filling the room, like it’s the only language they could ever speak. Until lungs desperately need their next dosage of breath. 

That’s when Hakyeon settles his hands onto Hongbin’s slumped shoulders with a comforting grip.

“It’s perfectly alright, okay?”

Hakyeon can tell that Hongbin still isn’t entirely convinced by his words, but he still nods curtly in his direction, out of respect.

The smile he offers in return, albeit meek, causes warmth to rise inside Hakyeon’s chest.

“Let’s go and check on the kids, hm?,” Hakyeon says abruptly, rising from his seat and heading towards the room where the kids were told to stay. He grabs Hongbin’s hand softly to drag him along, more out of instinct than anything. Although the gesture doesn’t fail to make his heart palpitate a little faster.

A few precautionary knocks are made on the door of his children’s room before he carefully opens it, enthusiastic screams almost instantaneously filling his ears whilst embracing his two children lovinging, desperately with arms splayed out wide open.

“Dada!” Ahnjong wails, clutching to his side tightly, enough to solicit a few weak, chuckling coughs from Hakyeon’s chest. “Dada, we missed you!!”

“As I missed you, angel,” Hakyeon coos, a bit strained, ruffling her lustrous mop of black hair with his hand. He also feels Yejoon resting his head against him, planting a soft, gentle kiss onto his son’s temple, snuggling him tighter into their little familial nest. “Are you both okay?”

Ahnjong nods her head enthusiastically in place for them to both, “Yes! Hongbee-nim kept us safe!”

“Hongbee-nim?” Hakyeon cries out, followed with a delightful little laugh which rouses Hongbin to finally approach the room, after some apprehension.

“Ah, Hongbee-ssi!! Glad you could finally join us!” he calls out with a playful tone, causing the younger man to laugh out squeakily, entirely abashed. “In all seriousness though, I’m glad you were here. Thank you for keeping my kids safe, Hongbin-ah…”

“It was nothing, honestly. My complete pleasure.”

Hongbin looks down upon all of them with this indescribable sensation of adoration coursing through him, despite traces of shame that appear to permeate through Hongbin’s eyes. 

Yet in spite of this, he is able to offer back is a wide smile of gratitude, dimples prominent.

Hakyeon gets up, hands entwined with those of his children in a very picturesque stance, one ideal for one of those family photoshoots. 

He looks over at Hongbin, that enreading look on his face not disappearing as he asks him something entirely unexpected.

“Would you like some tea?”

Dumbfounded, Hongbin’s eyes widen once more. Hakyeon always finds it adorable whenever he does that.

“Pardon?”

“You know, tea? The warm beverage. Would you like some, Bin-ah?” he queries jokingly, grinning at Hongbin’s flustered laugh (yet another from tonight, Hakyeon notes) in response.

“Yes, yes I’d love some please, hyung…”

“Then it’s settled,” Hakyeon announces. “Now, kids - please keep our Hongbinnie company as I make us some tea, will you?”

Both kids reply in a series of affirmative cries, and with that, Hakyeon leaves them with their guardian and practically waltzes his way to the kitchen area, flicking on a kettle and letting it rumble as his mind wanders. 

Towards tonight’s successes. Towards an optimistic-looking future. Towards wondering who to share it with.

It’s silly but imminent, Hakyeon thinks.

He can’t deny feeling…  _ Something _ for this Hongbin.

A few minutes slip over his head before realising the kettle had ceased to cry out some moments ago. So he turns it on again, ensuring he pays attention this time, pouring the water into the mugs the second that the kettle reaches its peak once again.

Over the lapsing of several minutes, each mug’s contents visibly darken and grow denser in rich, vivid colour; the floating, floundering tea bags remain buoyant with such ease that in the oddest of senses, the water becomes enriched in a way that’s almost reflective of how Hongbin as grown to enrich his life.

Perhaps not in the most conventional of ways, but in a graciously welcomed one, far better than what his life has previously endured from the bitterly brewing taste of divorce.

Still, he’s willing to take his chances, even if Hongbin is a tough nut to crack.

  
  
  
  


☙

  
  
  
  


The next few hours pass by idly and calmly with comforting conversation, pleasant company and humbling recollections of old times, all the while to the soundtrack of delighted childrens’ laughter and innocent bickering.

In essence, it’s quite the scene of domesticity that Hongbin had never really envisioned himself being a part of his life. Certainly not being as young as he is at least, but it’s an opportunity which he delighted greets at his door all the same.

There’s something that feels… Incredibly second-nature about it all. As if for whatever reason, Hongbin has been destined to be here, to be part of Hakyeon’s home. Something about the older man’s ever-calming aura is almost bewitching, the way his mere existence is enough to soothe his woes with the tone of his voice or an attentive glance in his direction alone.

But he is equally just as frightened by this prospect of this all. A familial life like this.

A small part of him keeps telling him that this is all too good to be true; that this is something unrequited, and that his duty for Hakyeon was merely a filial one - to play parent for his offspring.

That not much else could transpire from this bond, despite all odds.

It’s stupid, but Hongbin would prefer to be skeptical over something like this than allow himself to succumb to such a idyllic image of life - one he feels he could grow to adore, if ever given the chance.

So he remains plaint, allowing weak smiles to compensate for the doubt ruminating inside of his head.

But Hakyeon and his sharp eye has a way of spotting the subtleties of life. And Hongbin’s distress certainly doesn’t go amiss.

  
  
  
  


☙

  
  
  


For whatever reason, Hongbin expects his first shift since that incident to be a complete and utter trainwreck.

Maybe it’s the stress-filled commute on the bus there. Perhaps it’s the pervading grey clouds which seem to be seizing the skies, visible from every angle, practically inescapable from his line of sight combined with the uncomfortable vibrations of the vehicle’s engine.

But something feels very off about today.

Stumbling out of the now stagnant bus, he makes a brisk walk towards the extravagant entrance of the office building, headphones blasting some soothing tunes in an attempt to shake off the unsettling edge that today has brought on...

But it ultimately doesn’t do much.

Butterflies churn unpleasantly in the pit of his stomach, the thought of potentially encountering his boss today overpowering him. He tries to bury them down deeply, as if he were scoffing down extortionate amounts of food to satisfy a growling stomach.

Although a craving for something more sustainable still lingers uncomfortably inside his body.

Sanghyuk is no fool, however; he can blatantly see the eyebags which unflatteringly weigh down onto Hongbin’s face. The way he is barely able to maintain a conversation, having his eyes glued to the computer screen as a means of working off his woes.

Which again, has little success.

It gets to their lunch break where Sanghyuk finally snaps - taking off chunky headphones and giving Hongbin’s shoulder an aggressive shake, jolts of pain from last time he’d assaulted that region still evident in the way that he howls out in pain.

This is probably the most emotive he’s been in the office the entire day.

“Yah,  _ Sanghyuk _ -ah!” Hongbin seethes, rather hoarsely from barely having uttered a single word since arriving. “The  _ hell’s _ your problem?”

“...I could ask you the very same thing to be honest, hyung.”

Nothing but a scowl escapes his lips. He can’t think of any clever retort to combat that.

“Just- leave me alone, alright? I’m not in the mood today.”

“...Did something go wrong with the babysitting sesh the other night?”

Hongbin’s silence speaks for himself.

“So,  _ that  _ was it, huh?” he drawls, triumphant smirk worn on his lips, and all Hongbin can muster in response is a defeated scowl. Sanghyuk is amused greatly by this. “Surely it couldn’t have been  _ that _ bad, huh?”

Treading lightly, Hongbin doesn’t want to give the game away.

“It was just, more than I’d expected,” he sighs, exasperated. “More than I’d imagined to be happening, that’s all…”

Sanghyuk ponders what that response is supposed to mean. But he’ll let it slide for now and not push him for further information.

“Alright, well… I’m here to listen, if you ever need it.”

“...Thanks, Sanghyuk-ah.”

Hongbin manages a smile, but is quick to return to immersion in the form of his work. Sanghyuk merely sighs, returning to his own.

But of course, that doesn’t last for long.

  
  
  
  


☙

  
  
  
  


Hakyeon had been thinking deeply about that whole evening for some days now, often during the least expected moments; amidst the absent-minded writing of a business email, during a calming, casual coffee-break with a colleague.

It seemed as if, irrespective of the task at hand, the events of that night shamelessly played on repeat inside Hakyeon’s head like an obnoxiously catchy pop record, certain phrases and looks that Hongbin had given him swarming around his head to a point where it became to much to evade.

It had been a perplexing feeling, but one he wasn’t able to shake off.

Hongbin had been on his mind almost constantly, to be completely honest; something about his employee’s nurturing yet equally as standoffish nature remained alluring to the business executive. No matter how many times he’d reassure him things were alright, doubt and fear would still linger under his skin, behind his eyes, almost as if it smothered him. 

It’d been perceptible in every move he made and every word he’d spoken since the two of them met.

Of course, one would only naturally feel anxious in the presence of their company’s most prominent figure - the founder of it all. It would only make sense in the grand scheme of things.

Yet despite all the hospitality and reassurance, Hongbin could still tremble like a leaf in his presence. That, or he’d be a rambling mess of sorts at the most vulnerable of times, yet still remained guarded, as if spilling the harboured contents of his mind would only end in chaos.

Something told Hakyeon that there was a great fragility behind Hongbin’s toughened self-image, one that needed to be brought out into the open.

He wanted to prove to him that after that evening’s incident, he meant more to him than just a mere company associate or temporary guardian of his children; he wanted to ensure him that he was safe to be his true self in his presence, that there wasn’t a need to hide away or fear how clumsily the words from his lips would stumble out.

He wanted him to feel safe, to feel loved around him.

And for what seems like a pretty risky plan, he’s still going to go ahead and pull it off. Even if the stakes are rather high.

  
  
  
  


☙

  
  
  
  


It takes a simple tap of the shoulder for Hongbin to be lifted from his hypnotic, work-oriented trance.

“I swear to god, Sanghyuk, if you don’t leave me al-oh...”

Hongbin lifts his head up to meet the overpowering gaze of Hakyeon, the very last person that he had wanted to see today.

“H-Hi sir,” he stammers, breath now becoming a rare element on this Earth. That, and words, it seems.

“Ah hello, Hongbin-ssi,” that honeysuckle voice practically purrs (or, what certainly seems to be a purr through his sound-muffling headphones at least). “I’m glad to have seen you today.”

Hongbin wishes he could share the sentiment, but all his blood is doing right now is running feverishly cold from fright. “I was wondering whether… You had a moment?”

_ Oh _ .

Oh no. No this is the  _ last _ fucking thing he needs right now.

“Oh um… Sure, Hakyeon-ssi,” he barely manages to spit out his throat, though the rough edginess from a lack of speaking these past few days is evident in his tone.

“Great! That’s great,” he exclaims, albeit a little too loudly to sound composed. “Come up to my office in um, say fifteen minutes?”

“...Alright yeah, I’ll be there,” he cries, nodding his head a little too overenthusiastically. “Will see you there, sir.”

Hakyeon brimming smile causes Hongbin’s heart to gently flutter. “Excellent. I’ll see you shortly, then.”

Before Hongbin can even attempt to respond, the older man walks away, leaving him entirely bewildered and lost.

“...You should probably go and see the guy, you know?” Sanghyuk says dryly, the sudden contact of his hand on his shoulder (yet again) causing him to involuntary spasm and flinch backwards in his chair.

“Yah- Christ how many times, Hyogi? For fuck’s sake!”

The younger merely howls with laughter. “Gosh, Shikkie really was right, you  _ are _ hella sensitive!”

“...Shut up, dumbass. You and your dumbass boyfriend. The pair of you.”

“Ooo, a bit touchy aren’t we?”

Another scowl escapes his mouth, now clawing at the strands of his hair in despair.

“You know what?”

He rises from his swivel chair energetically, nearly slamming onto its arm rests in the process. “Fuck this, I’ll talk this out with him.”

“Go get ‘em tiger,” Sanghyuk teases, the sound of him chuckling wildly fading away in the distance as Hongbin makes the dreaded journey to Hakyeon’s office.

Lord knows how this will even go down.

  
  
  
  


☙

  
  
  
  


Unfortunately for him, the journey to Hakyeon’s office isn't a particularly long one.

It resides a few floors up from where he and the rest of the marketing team works, so with only a couple steps towards the elevator, some absent-minded taps of its numbers and the subtle whirring of its ascent to mentally prepare himself, it leaves Hongbin in a rather distressed state, to say the least.

A  _ ping _ and automated voice announcing the 34th floor greet Hongbin’s blood-pounding ears, starting to feel sweat forming on his forehead and hands tremble in the formation of tightly-grasped fists. He feels a sudden urge to throw up take over his system and for the life of him, as daft as it sounds, the mere thought of meeting Hakyeon in this state makes him feel like he wants to dissipate into thin air right where he stands.

Cautiously, he approaches the glass doors of his extravagant office. He takes in a deep breath, letting the air shakily enter his mouth before pushing the doors open, almost immediately rousing Hakyeon’s attention and feeling eager eyes fall upon him.

_ Shit _ .

Panic erupts throughout Hongbin’s system at the sight of everything. The dimly-lit room, flickering candles, the gourmet meal plated up in front of him. It all seems like an overwhelming gesture of grandeur to compensate for something, something that feels highly undeserving of receiving.

“Hyung…” he begins, barely audible. “No- Boss, Sir, what’s the meaning of all this?”

The blind panic consuming his being arouses great concern on his senior’s face, almost appearing just as concerned as he feels.

“Hongbin-ah.”

His soft, honeysweet tone is enough to cut him off from his thoughts.

“I sincerely wanted to thank you. To thank you for giving up your time the other night, for me. For our family.”

Little else but a nervous laugh leaves Hongbin’s lips, unable to truly take in his words.

“But, but hyung-”

“Listen, Bin-ah. You did really well, okay? It doesn’t matter that things got out of hand. That was out of your control. You’d tried your hardest, alright? That much I can tell.”

Unexpectedly, Hongbin sees the other man rising from his seat, slowly making his way towards him to entrap him into a comforting embrace. The contact doesn’t fail to make Hongbin’s eyes open abruptly, almost leaving him completely static on the spot whilst contained in Hakyeon’s arms.

It’s a bewildering gesture of comfort. But after the initial, momentary shock to the system, Hongbin extends his own arms out, finally accepting the reassurance. Hakyeon’s reassurance.

“That’s… Ultimately all that matters, Bin-ah. And besides, the kids are fine, aren’t they? We’re all perfectly fine.”

Hakyeon’s words of sincerity bathe Hongbin in a complete wave of ease. He tries his best to let the pent-up apprehension go, allowing a smile to protrude onto his facial features instead.

“Okay, okay. You’re right... I’m sorry.”

“Consider this my repayment to you. It’s not all that much… But perhaps you’d be willing to accept this offer. This small token of my gratitude.”

Truthfully, Hongbin is entirely taken back. He’s not sure what words to say, other than the shy stumbling of a ‘T-Thank you hyung’, which falls directly from his lips as he is seated at the desk and the rather lavishly set up meal awaiting him.

Taking utensils into his hands, he cuts off a bit of the steak presented to him on his plate, casually chewing at the meat, absorbing all of the juicy flavours that roam around on his tongue.

It’s a truly delightful combination if he’s ever had one.

A little too absorbed into the consumption, it’s not until he registers the faint sound of a cough coming from Hakyeon that forces him to meet the older’s gaze shyly, a smile creeping onto his lips.

“Hongbin-ah...”

“Mhm?” he hums, still chewing.

“...This will sound silly, but-”

“Hey, nothing is silly, hyung,” Hongbin interjects, slightly muffled. “I’ll be more than happy to listen to what you have to say. Just tell me.”

A self-affirmative nod of confidence takes over Hakyeon before coming to his conclusion. Hongbin holds his breath.

“Alright, I’ll just say it: you’re probably one of the most humblest, handsomest guys that I’ve ever met.”

Hongbin’s fork falls onto his plate with a sharp  _ clink _ , causing a mild clattering to briefly resonate through the office.

If not for the distant, ambient background noise of faint, romantic song ballads, that sound could’ve easily sliced through the prominent silence that has now formed.

Hakyeon laughs sheepishly, but somehow has it in him to continue.

“In a lot of ways, you fascinate me Bin-ah. You’re a wonderful guardian for my children and I...”

The younger observes Hakyeon taking out a folded burgundy napkin and cautiously dabbing away the residue surrounding his mouth. Even with the simplest of gestures like that, Hongbin still finds him to be utterly captivating.

“I know it’s not strictly appropriate but… I’d like for us to go out sometime. Maybe get some coffee? Some time after work. Out of hours. How does that sound to you, Bin-ah?”

All of this feels like a major sensory overload to Hongbin, who can’t help but merely stare back in awe, mouth agape in utter disbelief.

“Hyung, I…”

“Oh, gosh I’m sorry-” he suddenly interrupts, not wanting to hear another word of presumed rejection. “I must’ve read into things wrong, I’m really sorry I-”

“No, hyung. No, you haven’t.”

Hongbin hangs his head down, cheeks now burning feverently.

“I’ve felt the same now, for a while. Just… Wasn’t able to put it into words. I don’t know what it is but… You overlook this mess that I am. You actually… Like  _ this _ . All the awkwardness. It kinda baffles me, to be honest.”

He falls into his homely habit of playing around with his hair, nervously realigning the dark strands that nearly droop over his eyes.

Once they no longer obstruct his vision, he can properly look at Hakyeon and let the words that have been festering inside him for so long finally fall upon his ears.

“...But you do make me feel a way that I never have before. It scares me, but amazes me all the same.”

Once more, Hongbin finds himself casting eyes downward, embarrassed. Even the faintest of a chuckle seeps out of him, twiddling his thumbs, doing almost anything he can to avoid looking back up at him, even if he almost feels assured of the outcome.

Without warning, Hongbin then feels his chin being hooked between the older man’s delicate fingers, forcing their gazes to realign. And for the life of him he can’t tear his eyes away, even if he’d tried.

Something about them gleam with such majesty, with such a sense of adoration that’s only felt foreign to him until now. Like he’s observing some otherworldly spectacle instead of just…  _ Him _ .

Hongbin can feel the rising heat on his skin, can feel the tangible breath that their mouths now share as the two of them appear to grow… Closer.

Up until the point where plush lips graze each other’s to meet dotingly, sweetly, tight-lipped. Gentle, pure and loving.

He’s not sure how long either of them are suspended in this stance, but the feeling shared is indescribable; a comforting warmth resonates from deep inside of him, alongside an electrifying surge now coursing through his veins; a paradoxically powerful sensation that leaves him stunned.

Hakyeon’s lips feel so soft against his own, almost as if they’d been formed centuries ago to only now find the perfect fit - against each other.

And once they part, he feels like a part of him that had been missing, something absent from the inner core of his being has finally been restored.

Not many words are exchanged between the two of them for a moment; only fleeting, flutterings of soft laughter from the reality of the situation beginning to settle. Hakyeon looks almost just as flushed as Hongbin now, not failing to notice how the older man cups his hand into his own, gently stroking his thumb atop of his palm. He gives him such an endearing look that it practically melts him, unexpectedly warranting the next few words to fall from his mouth.

“Well uh, I certainly hope this won’t be the last time I get to visit your flat...” 

He truly astounds himself sometimes.

With a sense of embarrassment, he immediately recoils his body back somewhat, attempting to laugh off the very serious plea, his features visibly strained. “Aish, what am I even saying?!”

Hakyeon merely chuckles sweetly, taking ahold of Hongbin’s hand again, squeezing it tighter.

“It’s fine, Bin-ah. It certainly won’t be, I’m telling you that right now.”

Absent-mindedly, Hongbin feels Hakyeon sweep a loosened hair strand away from his face, placing it behind his ear and flashing him a heartfelt smile. The younger can’t find it in him to resist reciprocating the gesture - a full-blown grin overtaking his features, dimples prominent.

“I just hope that we can arrange to have it just for ourselves next time...”

Hongbin exchanges a subtly audible ‘oh’, the sudden transition in his facial expression causing the both of them to cry out with laughter. He even swats Hakyeon’s hand away playfully, before entirely shrivelling up, covering his own face sheepishly, cheeks now a raging crimson shade.

Although muffled, Hongbin gives him his response:

“I’d… I’d like that a lot, hyung.”

**Author's Note:**

> So after quite the while, this fic has finally resched the light of day!!
> 
> Although it had its challenges, it’s now become my longest fic so far, and i’m pretty pleased with the result!
> 
> Thank you to the prompter, all those who have helped beta scenes/generally aid with this fic and most of all the reader for giving this a read!!
> 
> Hopefully you’ve enjoyed this 💞💗 kudos and comments are always appreciated!


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